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Earlier this 12 months, DPReview editors journeyed to Yokohama, Japan, to attend the CP+ digital camera expo, the {industry}’s personal commerce present. CP+ isn’t solely a showcase for the newest pictures gear but additionally a uncommon alternative to interact with {industry} executives and thought leaders.
As in earlier years, we thought it will be helpful to share insights from our discussions with senior executives from almost each main digital camera and lens producer. Listed here are a number of the key tendencies and themes that emerged from each formal and casual conversations with {industry} leaders.
The digital camera market: stability with warning
The consensus is that the digital camera market continues to stabilize after years of contraction. Most corporations count on gross sales to stay steady, with potential for some progress within the coming years.
Nonetheless, warning continues to be within the air. Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki noticed, “In the intervening time, many photographers at the moment are switching from DSLR to mirrorless, which can maintain the market. Nonetheless, after they swap to mirrorless cameras, I fear that the market might shrink within the coming years.”
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Most digital camera corporations see the ‘creator’ market as a progress alternative and are making merchandise concentrating on these customers, just like the Sony ZV-E1 pictured above. Photograph: Richard Butler |
Video stays a big progress driver, with demand rising even amongst nonetheless photographers, and producers see video as important for attracting and retaining prospects. The coveted ‘creator’ market, comprised of (largely) youthful customers who’ve but to determine model loyalties, can be seen as a vital demographic for progress.
The ascendancy of AI
When digital camera corporations focus on AI, they’re usually referring to AI derived from machine studying. This know-how has been enhancing cameras for a number of years, significantly within the type of topic identification and monitoring. These capabilities will proceed to realize velocity and accuracy, however producers are exploring different methods to refine digital camera performance by way of AI, resembling coaching cameras to grasp scene context to foretell and prioritize topics.
We have already witnessed examples of those subsequent steps. Nikon’s Auto Seize routinely captures images or movies based mostly on standards like topic, distance or movement. Canon’s sports-specific Motion Precedence AF modes try and predict crucial topic within the body based mostly on the kind of motion within the scene.
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AI in cameras is most ceaselessly related to topic recognition, however producers are discovering different makes use of. Working example: Tamron is utilizing AI know-how to enhance picture stabilization in lenses. Picture: Tamron |
Moreover, some producers prompt they plan to make use of AI to refine picture processing algorithms, leading to extra exact and sensible rendering of images, and to assist extra environment friendly post-processing workflows.
We additionally discovered that Tamron is utilizing AI to enhance picture stabilization by analyzing digital camera motion throughout video capturing and utilizing this knowledge to foretell digital camera shake higher. Some digital camera producers additionally indicated an curiosity in utilizing AI to reinforce lens efficiency and performance.
“Tamron is utilizing AI to enhance picture stabilization”
Notably, no producers have hinted that they need to incorporate applied sciences like generative AI, content material removing instruments, or something of the type into their cameras. Quite the opposite, a number of indicated that they see this as a differentiating issue between cameras and smartphones, with devoted cameras permitting customers to retain full management over the artistic course of.
Enhanced assist for video workflows
Client expectations for video high quality have surged, influenced by the high-quality content material they see round them. Yusuke Adachi of Nikon’s Imaging Enterprise Unit famous, “Clients have turn out to be very discerning because of video streaming platforms resembling Netflix or Amazon Prime, the place they see stunning content material and need to dwell as much as that prime stage of expectation.” In response, producers have raced to spice up video specs lately, with almost all fanatic or skilled cameras now able to capturing high-quality video.
Producers at the moment are extra aggressively working to offer video-specific instruments and workflows to handle the wants of video shooters. Options like video waveforms and devoted video menus have gotten extra widespread, and connectivity choices like Body.io, which permits real-time add to the cloud and multi-user collaboration, are discovering their means into extra cameras. Corporations additionally informed us that video necessities are more and more influencing lens design.
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Video-specific capabilities like waveform displays was area of interest instruments on mirrorless cameras however have gotten extra widespread as extra digital camera producers work to handle the wants of video customers. Photograph: Dale Baskin |
This give attention to video additionally advantages photographers. “Video has had a big influence on nonetheless picture capabilities like high-speed seize and excessive body charges, so video capabilities might be leveraged for imaging options,” Mr. Adachi from Nikon defined.
Lastly, when you require another proof that digital camera corporations are investing in video, see Nikon’s acquisition of RED Digital Cinema.
Integration with smartphones
The times when digital camera corporations considered cellular gadgets as competitors are over. Now, they search synergy.
The {industry} acknowledges the necessity to enhance smartphone integration with cameras. Mr. Adachi of Nikon noticed, “One of many ache factors for purchasers is the workflow of sharing a photograph they take with a digital camera and loading it onto their social media accounts. There are a number of steps {that a} buyer must undergo: taking a photograph, sending it to the smartphone, after which handing it off to a social media account are too many steps for them. That’s the world the place we are able to truly make an enchancment and the place we should always make an enchancment.”
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| Panasonic’s Lumix Lab app lets you create customized LUTs and embed them immediately into your digital camera’s menus. |
There’s now a renewed give attention to streamlining knowledge movement between cameras and smartphones and enhancing cellular gadget integration. Panasonic’s Lumix Lab app is illustrative of this, providing a comparatively seamless resolution for transferring content material between digital camera and smartphone whereas additionally enabling customers to handle digital camera capabilities – particularly, including customized LUTs on to digital camera menus – by way of the app. We’ll seemingly see extra examples of such integration sooner or later.
Executives highlighted that improved integration is vital to persuading extra individuals to make use of devoted cameras. Toshiyuki Tsumura, Director of Panasonic’s Imaging Enterprise Unit, informed us, “We acknowledge that digital camera smartphone apps have gotten one of the vital necessary workflows, particularly for younger creators. Smartphones are wonderful in terms of the workflow of taking photos and sharing them instantly, however cameras are superior in terms of the standard of the work.”
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2024-08-04 13:00:00
Source hyperlink:https://www.dpreview.com/articles/6377501292/the-state-of-the-camera-industry-2024-edition